Tabletop Roleplaying Games (D&D, Pathfinder, CoC, ETC.)

Is it possible to play Paranoia XP without writing anything down? I'm looking into low rules games that don't require players to write anything down.

Possible to play without writing anything down? No my friend, your are not thinking correctly.
You make it MANDATORY to play without writing anything down.
Friend computer believes anyone touching grass a pen is at best a communist, but most likely a mutant communist traitor, and must be dealt with accordingly.

However be sure to give them character sheets and pens, and don't inform them that touching a writing implement instantly IDs them as communist mutant traitors.
 
Is it possible to play Paranoia XP without writing anything down? I'm looking into low rules games that don't require players to write anything down.
Yes. Though, I think it's best to use a character sheet generator like this one: https://paranoia.polyatomic.org/
Then randomly assign randomly generated characters to each player. If you can print double sided, it's only one sheet of paper. No one needs to write anything down, and the random collection of items you get helps people come up with dumb bullshit to pull. I had a player fake her death with a pair of smoking boots the random character generator randomly assigned her, for example.
 
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Do you guys think Warhammer 40,000 and other GW games can be a RPG? I ask because I've recently been watching wargame stuff, and learned that there is a subset called "narrative play" where a balanced wargame is less important than a plausible plot.

for me 5e simply sucks.
In a way it's not even that. There are many worse games than 5e. It's give it a 5-7 out of 10 all things considered. It's just it's flaws become apparent due to it's popularity. eg. I notice a steep fall off in powergamer effectiveness when moving outside of DnD and PF.

I'm looking into low rules games that don't require players to write anything down
Not exactly what you want, but Tiny d6 might work. Playing RAW, you'd want to write down HP, three feats (called traits), and proficient weapons.

But if you limit it to 1 or 2 traits, and maybe make weapon mastery a trait, that should be enough to keep in your head. Still might want a way to track HP though.
 
Do you guys think Warhammer 40,000 and other GW games can be a RPG? I ask because I've recently been watching wargame stuff, and learned that there is a subset called "narrative play" where a balanced wargame is less important than a plausible plot.
I have both extensively played and ran stuff like Dark Heresy and Black Crusade if that is what you are talking about, but if it just the wargame, yeah. In the past GW used to put out pre-written wargame scenarios with lists on each side which weren't balanced, sort of similar to historical OoB games, where it is about using what you have, not what is balanced on a point list.

Possible to play without writing anything down? No my friend, your are not thinking correctly.
You make it MANDATORY to play without writing anything down.
Friend computer believes anyone touching grass a pen is at best a communist, but most likely a mutant communist traitor, and must be dealt with accordingly.

However be sure to give them character sheets and pens, and don't inform them that touching a writing implement instantly IDs them as communist mutant traitors.
It is also against the rules to know the rules, so make sure to kill any player who seems to have read the core book.
 
Does any one know of any books like "The Shady Dragon Inn", a collection of fleshed out and ready to use NPCs?

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Sounds like a good idea. I did something like this where I had a box of index cards sorted by type, either class or things like shopkeeper, bandit, whatever. Then if the party did something off script like befriend a shopkeeper at a magic store, or rob the store, I'd already have an NPC for it (and they might have made a terrible mistake since robbing a magic store is on the level of robbing a gun shop).
 
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5e is IMO the best iteration of AD&D. Flaws it has tend to be common to the game as a whole, or at least inherited from 3rd. It is really hard for me to go back to 1, 2, or 3 because there's so much it fixes from those games. B/X is different enough that I enjoy it and OSR games derived from it, ACKS in particular.
 
I have both extensively played and ran stuff like Dark Heresy and Black Crusade if that is what you are talking about, but if it just the wargame, yeah. In the past GW used to put out pre-written wargame scenarios with lists on each side which weren't balanced, sort of similar to historical OoB games, where it is about using what you have, not what is balanced on a point list.


It is also against the rules to know the rules, so make sure to kill any player who seems to have read the core book.
I actually wrote a game that I lost all the files for that panned in and panned out of massive battles it's what I call camera panning basically you create a system that is capable of being used on a small scale unit combat 5 to 20 and also capable of handling larger scale battles even up to
an army group

generally when I was doing TT RPG's I always loved putting mass combat because there's nothing cooler than having your hero characters take on an entire military.

GURPS

Actually it's a really good system in the World War Two line which has never been renewed because it was basically on apologetic about you being able to play any side of World War Two actually got banned off one of the virtual TTRPG websites for running it.
Broken eagle is actually a really fun supplement where you can attempt to hold back the Soviet and German invasion


How they handle it is basically you can have your characters be normal soldiers or hero like characters think the soldier of three armies the white death Hans burwick ruddle Eric heitman
 
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5e is IMO the best iteration of AD&D. Flaws it has tend to be common to the game as a whole, or at least inherited from 3rd. It is really hard for me to go back to 1, 2, or 3 because there's so much it fixes from those games. B/X is different enough that I enjoy it and OSR games derived from it, ACKS in particular.
Unpopular opinion but it's also a perfect edition to get new people into D&D, and the hobby needs desperately flushing with some non-woke freaks.

Also dunno where to ask this but is there a board for non-40k wargames anyone?
 
Unpopular opinion but it's also a perfect edition to get new people into D&D, and the hobby needs desperately flushing with some non-woke freaks.

Also dunno where to ask this but is there a board for non-40k wargames anyone?
In my experience it's easier to get a ride or die 3.5 grog to try something new than anyone who started with 5e, so I'm not sure about this one.
 
Unpopular opinion but it's also a perfect edition to get new people into D&D, and the hobby needs desperately flushing with some non-woke freaks.

Also dunno where to ask this but is there a board for non-40k wargames anyone?

I have found earlier editions esp 1st or 2nd work better to get the kind of people you want to play with, because they are objectively deadlier, and thus weed out the storygame types.
 
5e is IMO the best iteration of AD&D. Flaws it has tend to be common to the game as a whole, or at least inherited from 3rd. It is really hard for me to go back to 1, 2, or 3 because there's so much it fixes from those games. B/X is different enough that I enjoy it and OSR games derived from it, ACKS in particular.
I have to respectfully disagree. 5e may have some flaws in common with it, but the handholding in 5e makes it so much worse.
Unpopular opinion but it's also a perfect edition to get new people into D&D, and the hobby needs desperately flushing with some non-woke freaks.
They’re pretty much in most editions, but a lot of them tend to dip out when you don’t give them enough opportunities to act like theater kids.
Also dunno where to ask this but is there a board for non-40k wargames anyone?
On /tg/? You can always find threads for like alternative /tg/ games you might like. They’re pretty frequent.
 
I will always have a soft spot for D&D 5e it is what got me in to actually playing games, it is a fine system that dose what it is designed for pretty well and is is easy to get in to but it got its issues trying to hacking the thing in to anything but some version of medieval fantasy will always feel jank and even as a intro to TTRPGs its not really that good a choice.
 
I have found earlier editions esp 1st or 2nd work better to get the kind of people you want to play with, because they are objectively deadlier, and thus weed out the storygame types.

Honestly I have gotten more consistent RP out of B/X players than I have out of 5e/Pf.

Most story gamers abandon their precious backstory and characterization the minute it becomes mathematically inconvenient. And only remember it when its time to disrupt the story.
 
I have to respectfully disagree. 5e may have some flaws in common with it, but the handholding in 5e makes it so much worse.
This is a criticism I've heard a lot tbf and I gotta agree actually (just wanna say I'm not a seasoned D&D player though)
On /tg/? You can always find threads for like alternative /tg/ games you might like. They’re pretty frequent.
Sorry no I meant here on KF
 
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Honestly I have gotten more consistent RP out of B/X players than I have out of 5e/Pf.

Most story gamers abandon their precious backstory and characterization the minute it becomes mathematically inconvenient. And only remember it when its time to disrupt the story.
Ironically, B/X's lack of emphasis on history and characterization makes it much easier to get roleplaying. You're not Dark McBroody, tiefling rogue with 4 pages of backstory at level 1. You're a guy with a dagger, randomly-generated stats, and zero common sense. The character develops as the game goes on.
 
Ironically, B/X's lack of emphasis on history and characterization makes it much easier to get roleplaying. You're not Dark McBroody, tiefling rogue with 4 pages of backstory at level 1. You're a guy with a dagger, randomly-generated stats, and zero common sense. The character develops as the game goes on.
And expendable at early levels. Thats the real filter.

W/o masses of skills and rules, you can roll up a character quickly. And if he survives, your characters 'character' will evolve organically. You roll up a dwarf fighter. He has a big axe. His entire backstory is "left his home to find enough money to pay a brideprice"

He survives the deathtrap that is levels 1 and 2.

During play, you start naming your axes after the first big foe they kill.
You decide your fighter is creeped out by giant spiders
Your fighter takes trophies from fallen foes.
You fought so many fucking mongrelmen, you really really hate them.
After several desperate situations, he develops a real friendship with the ranger. They become bros.
He clears out a small tower full of bugbears, decides he likes it and moves in with his ranger buddy.
etc etc.

All organically evolved during play. And if he dies during those early levels? Oh well. you just roll up something new because it takes 5 minutes to create a new character.
 
Do you guys think Warhammer 40,000 and other GW games can be a RPG? I ask because I've recently been watching wargame stuff, and learned that there is a subset called "narrative play" where a balanced wargame is less important than a plausible plot.
The smaller scale games like warband campaigns, mordheim, necromunda and kill team can certainly be played like one. The bigger scale stuff? It could work but you would probably want more than a few players. If nothing else then for variety. I can imagine setting up army and faction specific tables to determine what happens in between battles. Might even be a lot of fun.
 
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Possible to play without writing anything down? No my friend, your are not thinking correctly.
You make it MANDATORY to play without writing anything down.
Friend computer believes anyone touching grass a pen is at best a communist, but most likely a mutant communist traitor, and must be dealt with accordingly.

However be sure to give them character sheets and pens, and don't inform them that touching a writing implement instantly IDs them as communist mutant traitors.
I saw a suggestion, I think it was in one of the books, that you provide your players with an assortment of pens in different colors, and then medicate/terminate/assign to reactor shielding the characters of those players who choose a pen color above their clearance. (Naturally you provide fewer BLACK or RED pens than there are players.)
 
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